Poppet valve



M. J. BOYLE Juy 1s 1924.

POPPE'I VALVE Filed June 21. 1922 Patented `luly 15, 1924.

unirse srmas Param eil-Fica MICHAEL J. BOYLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application led June 21, 1922. Serial No. 569,989.

To all whom t may concern: y

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. BoYLE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Poppet Valves, of whichthe following is a specification, and which are illustrated Ain theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates tovpoppet valves for internal combustion engines,and has for its object to provide a valvewhich will be quiet inoperation and of high etiiciency and great durability, especially forcontrolling the eX- haust ports of the engine. In the accom panyingdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view showing the head and adjacent portionof the stem of the improved valve, with a detail of the valve seat;

Figs. 2 and 3 are planviews of elements Employed in the construction ofthe valve Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a pair of the valves oiamodified form designed to control inta e and exhaust ports of increasedsize without a corresponding increase in the amount of space occupied'bythe said ports' and valves, andy also showing a detail of the wall ofthe chamber in which the said ports are formed;

Fig, 5 is a detail side elevation of the valves illustrated in Fig. 4,with the associated valve seats shown in section:

Fig.k 6 is a plan view of a valve having a head of another modifiedform, partly broken away to illustrate the interior construction of thehead;

Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of the valveillustrated. in Fig. 6,with the associated valve seat shown in section; and

Fig. ,8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showingl a stillJfurther modification, with a detail of the associated tappet and cam.

On the drawings a portion only of an engine. which may be of theinternal combustion type, is shown. Since the specific features oftheengine constitute no part `of ,the present invention it is notthought necessary to show those features.` The invention relates moreparticularly to the construction of the valve and its relation to theengine.

The head of thevalve is formed' from a plurality of plates at least oneof which is more or less resilient. While in the forms of the deviceselected to illustrate the invention a plurality of resilient or elasticplates are employed, it is 'understood that the construction may beotherwise. As shown on the drawings, the valve head is of laminatedstructure, and vcomprises an intermediate group of relatively thinelastic sheet steel plates, as 10 and 11 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). Theseplates are shaped to conform with the shape of the valve head. beinground when a circular valve, as 12 (Fig. 1) or 13 (Fig. 8) is used,while similar plates 14, 15, of semi-circular outline are employed forthe valves 16, 17 (Figs. 4 and 5), and square plates 18, 19, areemployed for the valve 20 illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. On the otherhand, the several plates in each valve preferably vary slightly in size,those near the under side or seating face of the valve being largest,and the size of the remaining lates being such as to provide the valveheaflwith an upwardly facing beveled edge, as 21 (Fig. 1).

In addition to the intermediate group of thin plates, as 10, 11, theimproved valve head preferably includes a thicker plate 22 and a pair oftapering cap plates, as 28 and 24, between which the said group of thinplates and the plate 22 are held. lVhen so constructed the plate 22 islocated immediately under the group of thin plates, as 10, 11, andconstitutes the seating or contact face of the valve head. Furthermore,sincethe invention contemplates the use of the valve in conjunction witha Vflat seat, as 25 (Figs. 1 and 8), 26 and 27 (Fig. u), or 28 7). thesaid thicker plate, as 22, is desirably of a diameter at least as greatas that of the immediately overlying thin plate, as 11,-being enoughlarger than the corresponding port opening, as 29, to provide therequired amount of overlap upon the said flat seat, as 25. On the otherhand, to permit elastic separation of the marginal poravoided if thesaid two cap plates are -ofy different size in any event. As shown inFigs. 1 and 8, the upper cap plate, as 24, is of such size that its edgeextends substan tially to the edge of the next underlying plate, as 10.The tapering form of the upper cap plate, as 24, accordingly continuesthe crowned shape in cross section imparted to valve head by the `use ofplates, as y10, 11, of

.graduallydiminishing size from the lower face of the valve upwardly. Inthe form of the device shown 1n Fig. 4, the cap plate overlaps the p'ortto thereby further limit the resllient action of the Aintermediateplates. In any event the marginal portions of the resilient plates arefree,-that is, they are not connected together. .y g

` In practice, the several, parts ofthe yvalve head are assembled uponthe end of the valve stem, as 30 or 31, preferably between an upwardlyfacing shoulder 32 formed on the` stem adjacent its end, and a rivetedhead 33 at the end of the stem. ln some instances, however, as shown inFig. l, a Washer 34 may be placed over the upper cap plate,`as 24, toreceive the riveted head. `It is also desirable tocompress the stem forthe formation of the said'riveted head while the end portion of theste-m and the central portions of the several parts of the valve Iheadare at a welding temperature. All of the parts of the valve head and thestem are thereby joined together in a unitary structure withoutinterfering with the flexibility of the marginal portions yof the platesof which the head .is composed.V When unusual-'strength is required inthe connection between the head and stem, some ofthe intermediate platesemployed in the formation of the head' may each be provided with acentral opening, as 35 (Fig. 8), larger than the valve stem. Compressionof the end portion of the stem at a welding or forgingtemperature thenserves to upset the stem within the central openings 35 of the headplates, formingan enlarged hub, as 36, thereon intermediate the upperand lower faces of the valve head.

The intermediate plates 10 and 11, being clamped at their centralportions between the larger upper plate 24 and the smaller plate 23,will tend to cup downwardly, the said plates becoming slightly concave.Consequently, in operation, the peripheral edge of the plate 22 will bethe first portion of the valve to engage its seat, thereby forming aline contact which will eiiciently close the port. But whether theresilient plate or pl'ates are concave or not, the explosion ofthecharge will cause the valves to be forced against their seats and theresiliency of the plates will ermit a slight radial movement thereofwhic will not only prevent the accumulation of carbon and other foreignmatter between the valve and its seat, but will also tend to keep thevalves polished or ground to perfectly fit their seats, thereby addingmaterially to the efiiciency of the valve and effecting a consequentsaving of fuel.

This type of valve operates `much more quietlythan the conventional typeof poppet v alve. The reason for this is probably due to the fact thatin the conventional type the valve is more or less wedged in its conicalseat by the tremendous pressure of the exploded gases to which it issubjected, and is rigidly held in that position by the pressure untilthe tappet strikesit. In the present device, the valve is not wedged inits seat, and, furthermore, the resiliency of the intermediate platesoperating against this pressure tends to move the valve stem upwardly,thereby cushioning the initial engagement of the tappet with the valve.Furthermore, the resiliency of the plates constituting the valve headcushions the impact of the valve with its seat vand thereby tends toprevent noise of the valve during its seating movement.

It will thus be seen that the assembly of the parts and theirarrangement are such that the resilient plates of the valve not onlyprevent the accumulation of carbon on the valve or its seat, but alsoautomaticall cushion the initial impact of the tappet with the valve andthe valve with its seat during the operation of the en ine.

The advanta es obtained by the provision of a valve head of resilientlaminated construction for cooperation with a flat seat yare increasedin some cases by the formation of some of the plates, as 10 (Figs. 1 and2),

'15 (Fi 4), yand 19. (Figf), with aperment is used, capillary attractionand repeated exposure of the valve head to high compression and suctionboth tend to the movement of fiuid between the plates from the rim ofthe valve head to the pockets formed by the apertures 37, and this fluidserves to increase the elastic separation of the plates and to cushiontheir compression.

The construction of the valve head for elastic expansion at its rim isparticularly advantageous when the periphery of the valve is relativelylong in comparison with the size of the port which it controls. Thuswhen the valve is semi-circular` as in Fig. 4, or square, as in Fig. 6,the periphery of the valve is longer than that of a round valve coveringa port opening of the same size. The force employed to close the valveis thus distributed over a. greater area. of contact of the valvewith-its seat and the elastic separation ofthe parts of the valve headat its rim is more effective, both in cushioning the lclosing `movementand insuring a uniform contact `with the valve seat. The use ofsemi-'circular valves, as in Fig. 4, turther provides for the locationof intake and between the valve and seat is equal to the full distancethrough which the valve has beenI lifted, while with an oblique seat` ofthe usual form the Width of valve o ening isty only equal to a .part ofthe dlstance through which the valve has been lifted.

Owing to the elastic separation of the plates or laminations of thevalve head at its rim, changes in the length of the valve stem,`due' toexpansion and contraction, will `have substantially no e'ect upon theseating of the valve. The' provision of clearance beiI tweenthe end ofthe valve stem, as 31, the tappet, as 40, and the cam 41, will thereforebe unnecessary. A noisy operation is thus avoided both by continuouscontact between the valve stem, the tappet and the cam, and bycush'oning the closing movement of the valveas the elastically separatedplates approach the valve seat.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination, an inwardly facing flatvalve seat surrounding a: gas engine port and a. valve for the portcomprising a group of centrally connected lsuperimposed spring plateshaving their margins free, the undermost 'plate being larger than theport for contactof a continuous marginal portion of its undersurfacewith the valve seat. under gas pressure applied to the group of platesAin the direction to close the valve, and,one of the intermediate plateshaving a circumferential series of apertures formed in its marginalportion, but not extending to the periphery of the plate.

2. In combination. an inwardly facing flat valve seat surrounding a gasengine portand a valve for the port comprising a group of centrallyconnected superimposed spring plates having their margins free and astiff cap plate limiting upward iexure of the marginal portions of thespring plates, the undcrmost spring plate being larger than the port forContact 'of a continuous marginal portion ofits undersurface withy thevalve seat under gas pressure applied to the group of plates in thedirection to close the valve, one of the intermediate spring lateshaving a circumferential series of apertures formed in its marginalportion but not extending to the periphery of the plate.

'3. In combination, an inwardly facing Hat valve seat surrounding a gasengine port and a valve tor the port comprising a group of centrallyconnected superimposed spring plates having their margins free, theundermost plate being larger than the port for contact of a continuousmarginal portion of its unde'surface with the valve seat under gaspressure applied to the group of plates in the direction to close thevalve, and'each alternate intermediate plate having a circumferentialseries of apertures formed inv its marginal portion but not extending tothe periphery of the plate.

4. In combination, an inwardly facing flat valve seat surrounding a gasengine port and a valve for the port comprising a group of centrallyconnected superimposed spring plates having their margins free, theundermost plate being larger than the port for contact of a. continuousmarginal portion of its undersurface with'the valve seat under gaspressure applied to the group vof plates in the-direction to close thevalve, and the -remaining plates being of progressively diminishingsizes.

5. In combination, a flat circular valve seating surface extendingcontinuously abouta pair of separate semi-circular gas engine ports anda valve for each port com prising a group of centrally connected su-`perimposed spring plates of the same shape as the port, the plates beinunconnected 1n.

their marginal portions an the undermost plate of each group beinglarger than the corresponding port for contact of a uniform continuousmarginal portion of its undersurface with the said valve seating surfacein the closed position of the valve.

6. A valve for internal combustion engines, comprising a valve stem, anabutment on said stem, a plurality of resilient plates having theirmargins free, one of the side faces of one of said plates being adaptedto engage a valve seat, and a rigld cap` late secured to said stem inthe opposite si e of said plates from the valve seat enga ing face andladapted to clamp said p ates against said abutment.

7. A valve comprising a valve stem, a resilient plate secured to saidstem and having its margin free, one of the side faces of said platebeing adapted to overlap 'and engage a valve seat and a rigid platesecured to said stem and clamped against the side face of said plateopposite to the seat engaging face for reinforcing the same.

8. In a device of the class described, a valve comprising a stem, aplurality of resilient plates, .said plates having their margins free,on said stein, the innermost plate being materially thickened, an lnnersoi les

rigid plate, an outer rigid plate of larger diameter than said innerrigid plate, and means for clamping all of said plates on said stem.

9. In combination, an inwardly facing Valve seat surrounding a gasengine port and a valve for the port comprising a stem, a group ofsuperimposed spring plates hav'- ing their margins free, said platesbeing and a valve for the port comprising a groupl of centrallyconnected superimposed spring plates having their margins free and astii cap plate limiting upward leXure of the marginal portions of thespring plates, the undermost spring plate being larger than the port forcontact of a contlnuous mar nalv portion of its undersurface with t evalve seat under gas pressure applied to the group of plates in thedirection to close the Valve.

11. In combination, an inwardly facing substantially flat valve seatsurrounding a. gas engine port, and a valve for the port comprisinof acentrally connected elastic sheet metz plate and superimposed still capplate, the marginal portion of the sheet metal plate being free andresting upon the valve seat in the closed position of the valve and thestiff .cap plate serving to limit upward flexure of the said marginalportion of the sheet metal plate under gas pressure applied to the valvein the direction to close the same.

MICHAEL J. BOYLE.

